Psychophysics reports log luminance rather than absolute luminance values
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
confidence 83/100
Psychophysical investigations consistently show that human perception of luminance and brightness is non-linear and scales logarithmically or as a power function with physical luminance values.
Evidence for · 3
More than noise: context-dependent luminance contrast discrimination in a coral reef fish (<i>Rhinecanthus aculeatus</i>).
2020 · cited by 17
Paper 0 discusses how psychophysical luminance contrast thresholds are modeled using logarithmic scaling relationships such as the Weber-Fechner law.
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More for · 2
Tone Mapping of HDR Images via Meta-Guided Bayesian Optimization and Virtual Diffraction Modeling.
2025 · cited by 1
Paper 4 notes that psychophysical frameworks like Stevens' power law and logarithmic transformations are used to simulate nonlinear human luminance and brightness perception.
Considering the Effect of Neural Adaptation in the Estimation of Haidinger's Brush Perceptual Threshold.
2026 · cited by 0
Paper 8 demonstrates that perceptual thresholds in human vision scale linearly with the logarithm of physical stimulus intensity.